DENDURA – Interview with Aziza (Vocals)

Dendura is an American progressive Metal band, with a female vocalist. Influenced by Horror and Ancient Egyptian history, Dendura has a very speical tones of it's own, with a vocals to capture your ears.

I had the great chance to have an interview with Aziza, Dendura's vocals, to talk about the band, her acting carrer and her future plans.

Hey Aziza. It's really so nice of you to be here…Ok, tell us a bit about Dendura. Short words so you won't have to kill me.

I call our music progressive metal. The songs off of “New Life” were inspired by Egyptian mythology and horror films. The new songs we have still have that feel, but they are more metal where some of our songs off “New Life” could be described as hard rock.

I see that you guys get nice reviews on “New Life” album. How do you feel about that?

It feels good really good. We took our time on the album and paid for it ourselves so it's nice to know were on the right path.

I knew that you are half Egyptian and half Lebanese. Be honest, was that the main influence that your lyrics all about Ancient Egypt?

I also have some Italian in me too but I can see why it gets hard to keep track. The Italian side of me is not the focus on our sound our music. Getting back to your question, we definately wanted to bring that out because I'm a fanatic with the Egyptian culture. It provoked my curiosity at a young age. It is a big part of why we write about it and use scales that give our songs that sound, but even if I didn't have a drop of Egyptian blood in me, I would still be fascinated with it anyways and would use it.

Who are your musical heroes?

Geoff Tate from Queensryche, Dream Theater, Nevermore, Evergrey, Mike Patton & Faith No More, and lots more… those are the main ones though.

If you could collaborate with any musicians to do a project album, who would they be any why?

If I could work with a band, I'd have to pick Dream Theater because they are just amazing. There isn't anything, they can't do and I would learn alot about music just by being around those guys. I would also like to sing a song with Geoff Tate from Queensryche. He has a big range and his voice is thick and rich.

What record recently has really surprised you with its quality?

The last album I bought was Dragonforce and the quality was really good but I'm not an expert in that department. I can tell if it isn't mixed well, if the album sounds muddy.

Name some musicians that really should be getting more attention.

Dream Theater, Evergrey, Nevermore. The radio mostly plays mainstream and rarely plays music that has more than 2-3 parts in a song or is longer than 3 minutes long. I remember being a kid and listening to popular music because that's the only music I was exposed to. There are many great bands out there, signed and unsigned, too many to list.

Other than music, what other types of Art do you appreciate?

Dance, graphics, paintings, directing, filmaking, writing,…

Beside singing, can you play any insturment?

I play keyboards. Symphony, I Have A Gun, and Nemesis were all written from parts I had on the keyboard first. I played on the album and will be doing so a little bit live this fall.

When was the last time you really felt you were struggling in your career?

Good question! The first time I ever got up and sang in front of people (at an open mic in 2002) was embarressing. Someone I knew, happened to walk in and heard my voice cracking. Then later, when we recorded our very first demo, I was not singing the songs like I do now, the studio made me nervous and tense. It felt foreign to me. Dendura is my first serious band. I sang for some techno music before just to get use to the studio and that was way different and easy to sing over (01-02) then I was in some projects that never got out of the basement so it wasn't until Dendura that I was able to sing in front of a crowd besides the few open mic nights I did. For “New Life”, I brought in a friend from Detroit because I knew I wasn't singing my best and he gave me lots of vocal pointers and was basically, my coach. You have to have alot of confidence to be a singer and I was lacking that for the longest time. I was trying too hard and thinking about it too much.

What has been your career highlight to point out?

Getting “New Life” recorded and getting it in movies. That excites me as it is immortalized in someones films.

As a public entertainer, how much responsibility do you feel towards providing a role model for your fans?

I'm not a pop singer so I can get away with alot more things than they can. But at our show on April 22nd, I watched my mouth because young girls and their mothers were there that night. I do feel pop idols are role models and not always good ones. When young girls see them getting nose jobs and boob jobs, they want to be like them and do the same thing.

Where would you like to perform the most?

Chicago

Can you pinpoint the moment you made the decision to become a musician?

I was in junior high. I was heavy into The Cure,

Queensryche and NIN. I had a little drum machine, a tiny keyboard and a tape recorder and recorded myself singing harmonies over these singers and then playing along to the songs in my own way. I took piano lessons when I was 10 but didn't like playing Yankee Doodle so I quit.

How far has your job effected your life?

Tremendously…. but it's a good thing. I always have music on my mind. I am always thinking about melodies and listening to music. I use my day to day life in our music and put the things I have a hard time leaving into our music, for instance, the song I Have a Gun is my closure to someone in my past and Nemesis is about my struggles within myself. All the lyrics came from somewhere even the ones about the goddesses Isis and Nephthys.

How about acting? You are an actress, right?

Yes

Ok then, how did you end up with this career?

I was 14 and my mom sent me to modeling school. Then later, I was accepted into The New York Model Contracts Convention to compete and found acting coach and actor Ron Millkie. It cost a bundle but it was worth it. Ron was in the original Friday The 13th (Sheriff Dorf) and New Jack City. He gave me a life time of hints and tips that I use to this day. I started getting parts immediately after his seminar and then struggled getting nothing. The parts I did have, I was cut from the film company. This happens all the time to actors and it hurts so I took a break and went on the other side of the fence and learned more than I ever could imagine and became a better actor and I started getting parts offered to me. I pick and choose more to what I would want to play as it has to be worth my time and I'm not trying to be a famous movie star so I don't have to do be at auditions every day like I use to be. Within the past 4-5 years, I started seeing the rewards and occassionally, I will get a risidual check in the mail for some movie I did a few years back.

Great…..tell me, what are you up to right now? whether with Dendura or as a solo artist?

All my attention is to Dendura. This very moment, we are evolving our sound, and adding on to our band. I don't want to say what just yet, but is definately happening. It's a surprise.